Millenium Battle  New Year's Eve
by Nadeor
Summary: This is the first story of mine, nothing much, hope everyone likes it.


Millennium battle – New Year's Eve

The snow flakes were floating in the sky. Another day finished at El Nath. As I slowly standing up, Bain and Cerebes moved backwards and stared at me with fear. I walked towards the exit of El Nath dungeon cave, and the dogs backed down, making a way for me. They seemed understood that no more fighting for me for today.

I just realized the time; it is 7 o'clock in the evening. The battle between me, Cerebes and Bain continued so long and so fierce that I forgot my stomach was starving. I decided to head back to town, and find something to eat.

Jr. Yetis and Yetis seemed fewer than usual today. I did not even get blood stained on my Kage, so peaceful. Yet it was still a long way down the mountain and the road was still slippery on the way. As I walked, I can see that El Nath town was full of different colored lights, sounds of people shouting and celebrating. I smiled, adjusted my Oriental Fury Hat, and kept walking.

I went in through the east entrance of the town, things started to get noisier. Children were holding fire crackers, chasing each others around. I saw some Hermits on my way, they used their flash jumps and made them seemed like in a hurry.

"You there, do you have a moment?" A voice called me as I was on my way to the restaurant. "I need to ask you for something." I turned around; the spoken one was Alcaster, one of the most powerful magicians in El Nath. "Yes? What do you want to ask me for Alcaster?" I replied. Alcaster smiled, seemed like he hadn't met someone to reply for a long time. "As you see, today is new year's eve." Said Alcaster, I looked around, seeing lights and lanterns hanging around the trees and roofs. "This is also the 1000th New Year's Eve since the seal of the most powerful dark lord in the history; Zakum." Zakum… I haven't heard this word for a long time. The last time I heard this word from someone is from my teacher; Grandel of Ellinia. Zakum was told that he was made up by thousands of monsters around the world. Their grudge, their anger, and their power, gathered together and formed the one and the only lord of the darkness, Zakum. The legend that passed down through generations to generations and stored in Ellinia library said that Zakum has eight arms. He was shaped like a giant made of stone. I never figured that someone still remember this word. It was so long.

"So, as I spoken, time kept passing on." said Alcaster. But I really don't get what he means sometimes. The people in El Nath called him a "weird old geezer". I pretend I understood what he meant and let him kept going. "The name, Zakum, you might heard about this. He was the dark lord who ruled over the world a thousand years ago. " He explained. "1000 years ago, at New Year's Eve, he was sealed by a powerful wizard, whose name I could not recall." "Is he Grandel?" I asked, Alcaster smiled and said "No, no, no. Grandel of Ellinia is not even close to 1000 years old." I was puzzled, Grandel the really old of Ellinia was the eldest person I knew. "As the prophecy said, after 1000 years Zakum had sealed." Alcaster kept going. "He will be revived and once again, try to take over what was left behind 1000 years ago." I was shocked, from what he meant, I think that he means Zakum will be revived. "Anyway, there is always a way to solve everything. The prophecy also said, if Zakum was kept in his Altar for 3 hours, he will be sealed again, once and forever." Alcaster stopped, from the look on his face, he was thinking that I might volunteer to go and stop Zakum. "I will think about it…" I replied, and went towards the restaurant again.

The food was delicious in the restaurant but I could not enjoy it. Although people were cheering, somehow I could not be happy. "If Zakum was kept in his Altar for 3 hours, he will be sealed again, once and forever…" Those words from Alcaster kept repeating inside my head. What will happen if Zakum was sealed up, what happen if not? As I put down my forks and left 300 mesos to the waiter, I headed outside. It was still snowing, shops were opened again. Adults were laughing and chatting with each other; children were gathering around the town center and making a giant snowman. I liked peace. Yes, I like peaceful things. I have made up my mind; I am going to stop Zakum!

It was approximately 9 o'clock, 3 more hours until Zakum was revived once again on his Altar. I have never been into the El Nath Lava dungeon; it had been sealed off by the four elders. I still remember what Ruby of mage's elder said to me when I finally became an Ice Lighting Mage. "Never try the unknown, but only try under the circumstance that is 'definite'." Yes, this is the 'definite' time, the time for me to step into the unknown. I don't know what awaits me down there, in the forbidden area of El Nath Lava Dungeon.

I walked towards the entrance of El Nath Dungeon again. On the way I saw Jr. Yetis and Yetis swarming the path again, just when I was about to attack a Jr. Yeti, 'ching ching!' Two throwing stars flew towards me and I dodged it just in time. But the Jr. Yeti I was originally targeted wasn't so lucky, it was lying on the ground, dead. I went to pick up the throwing stars, examined it carefully. It was an llbi throwing star, as I stopped there for a moment, 'ching ching!', another two throwing stars rushed towards me and I jumped up to dodge it. In all these years of my experience, I knew that was a lucky seven move from a hermit, and all thanks to the previous two attacks. I knew where the attacker was and quickly I released a cold beam to where I thought he might be. A scream came out from the bush I attacked, I jumped towards the bush and to my surprise, and it was a girl.

"Sorry about that, I thought you were a monster." She apologized to me. "No, no. I am the one who should be sorry." I quickly replied. After all, I did the most damage to the other while she didn't even give me a scratch. "Why are you out here anyway?" asked the girl "Me? I am here for Zakum." I said proudly. "Ha-ha" she suddenly laughed "You are the third guy who came across this road and said was looking for Zakum. So what that old geezer said was true." She said third? There must be more who heard what Alcaster's story. "I will go with you!" She said happily. "No! This is too dangerous for a girl." I refused; after all, I am a highly skilled mage while she was only a hermit. "I know why, you think I am just a weak girl, do you? Well you are wrong!" She summoned out a shadow partner and swung her black mamba, "Slash, clang, Flash!" A row of Jr. Yetis fell down. I looked at her surprisingly, because that could not be done just by normal assassins or hermits. "Now will you accept?" she asked curiously. Well, I thought, since she was skilled like this, no point of not bringing her with me. I smiled and nodded, and kept on walking. She caught on with a fast speed: "What are you waiting for!? Party I up and I will give you some speed." I joined her party, with the help of her Haste; I was able to move faster and got into the entrance in time.

After a bit more walking, finally we got into the forbidden area; Zakum's Altar. There I saw highly skilled people who were waiting for the arrival of Zakum. There were priests, rangers, dragon knights and chief bandits, in total of approximately 50 people. I looked at the time; it was 11:55, 5 more minutes until the dark lord's revival. But it was still so cheerful around here, even on Zakum's Altar.

I heard people began singing:

"As the wind blew,

The sun sets.

River flows and streams went.

Clouds were no longer in sight,

Sun was shining above.

Oh, I heard elves singing.

How cheerful this is on this bare land.

Deep down in the towns,

Children were cheering. /P 

Wishing forever peace,

And ever,

And ever…"

The singing stopped, priests chanted Blessing, because the dark lord has revived. I was stunned by the scene of this horrifying monster. It has eight arms, made of stone, just like what it said on the book. Dragon Knights started attacking the arms they could reach by kept using their famous spear attacks. Rangers and Snipers summoned out hawks and scarecrows to attack and protect. My team so far, has me, that girl hermit, two dragon knights and two priests. The battle was so fierce that I could feel the ground shaking. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. 3 hours… 3 hours is all that takes to keep this world peace once and for all. But if not… No! There is no if not! We have to win this. I said to myself inside, wishing I could have my courage back. "Ah!" A scream came from my left; a fire poison mage fell into the fire. It was inhuman. Those skilled people back at those days, but facing this huge giant today, they seemed powerless and defenseless. Although that each team has a priest inside them, they still could not make much of a difference. "What are you starring at…? Look out!" The girl hermit pushed me down on the ground, and before I knew anything, a wave of flame rushed towards where I was just standing. If it had not been her, I would have died.

One hour left, only 30 people left. A Priest and a Dragon Knight in my party had fallen. I could do nothing to save them. I took another sap from my sunset dew bottle and felt power came back inside my body. I raise my Kage, concentrate each and every bit of magic I have in my body, made them into a shape of arrow. The Kage formed a shape of a bow, and I pulled the string as hard as I could possible. I released the string once I felt it was at its maximum. The arrow rushed towards Zakum, and hit its last hand. Zakum let out a terrifying scream, and its hand collapsed. The Dragon Knights stopped attacking its arms and went towards Zakum's body. Chief Bandits stopped setting up the mesos and used their powerful meso explosion technique. Zakum was raged, he opened his mouth, from what I knew before, this was not good, he was about to summon Puncos! I quickly formed another bow and arrow made of ice and thunder, but it was too late, 5 Puncos came out from its mouth and rushed towards me. A chief bandit jumped up "Good bye, friend." He said to me, giving me a smile, and released a meso explosion he had on his body. As the smoke disappears, the Puncos were left. They were scared off, all thanks to that chief bandit.

15 minutes left, only 10 people were left including me. All of us, including Zakum, were exhausted. As Zakum released another thunder spell attack, it went a direct hit on the priest of my team. "No!!!!" cried the girl hermit. She tried to grab her back from the thunder waves, I dragged her back. "What are you doing!? It was too late to save her." Said I, just at this very moment, Zakum released another fire spell, I dragged her back and did not got hit.

I took one last drink from my morning dew and sunset dew, threw away the bottles, and kept on using Thunder Spear.

1 minute left now, I could smell the disgusting air from Zakum's breath. Only around 5 people left now, all reached our limit. I looked up, waiting Zakum for its next attack, thinking if I could dodge this, I will be able to release all my magic at once on his weak point where he forgot to protect himself. Zakum grinned, he opened his mouth, to my surprise; he summoned more pucos to the battle. A Dragon Knight rushed towards me and released a Dragon Roar. This powerful technique destroyed all pucos at once. "How…many minutes…left?" I heard the voice of the girl hermit, but somehow it sounds strange. I turned and looked at her; she was lying in a pool of blood. "Soon…it will be over soon…" I replied, wiped the tears off my eyes. I turned back to Zakum, used the thunder and ice power formed another Bow and Arrow. Zakum realized something was wrong and he gave me another fire spell. I fired the arrow, the arrow break through the fire stream and went directly into Zakum's mouth.

I felt the ground shaking, Zakum was screaming in a shocking voice. Everyone stopped attacking; we all knew that Zakum was defeated. I turned around and looked at the girl hermit, her eyes were closed. I felt awfully guilty for some reason. Suddenly I noticed there was a piece of glowing rock beside her, it was from a punco. I realized everything now. Before there was a punco who tried to sneak up on me from behind, but the girl hermit protected me from been hit. Instead, she got hit and her throwing star destroyed the punco. "She still has a bit of life inside her." A priest came forward and said "let's get her out of here and I will heal her." I picked the girl hermit up, and ran outside. Other people got out just in time, too. The altar started to collapse once we got out. I turned around and looked, there was no sign of anyone else coming out. The battle…was over.

According to Maple History Book, it says: "In year 2001, January 1st, 50 heroes battled against the monster Zakum and sealed it in its altar forever. Yet 45 people gave up their own lives during the battle of millennium, and their names will be remembered…forever."


End file.
